One question we get asked all the time by Fantasy managers is if Zero-RB can work. I'm not the biggest fan of this strategy, but I tried it here from the No. 7 overall spot. And I love the way it turned out.
This is our 12-part, PPR pick-by-pick series where me, Dan Schneier, Adam Aizer, Thomas Shafer, Heath Cummings, and Dave Richard all took part in a six-person mock draft. We each built two of the 12 teams in this 14-round draft to show you a different strategy from each spot.
This is an outline that you can follow if you pick from No. 7 overall in your league. The key is to study the strategy and not necessarily the players to see if this works for you.
And if you like Zero-RB, you should hope to replicate this roster in some capacity. I would love to play out this league with this team.
Drafting Ja'Marr Chase in Round 1 was easy, and I was excited to get Drake London in Round 2 at No. 18 overall. While some Fantasy managers might be concerned about London given his subpar performance in the first two years of his career, I'm expecting a third-year breakout with Kirk Cousins now the quarterback in Atlanta.
In Round 3, I had a difficult decision to make with Deebo Samuel, Sam LaPorta, Rachaad White and De'Von Achane. I decided to draft Samuel since this is a three-receiver league, and I like what I'm hearing out of San Francisco about Samuel having the potential for a big season, especially with Brandon Aiyuk dealing with a contract situation.
Round 4 brought another tough decision because I could have drafted Josh Jacobs, who has top-10 upside with his move to Green Bay and is a No. 1-caliber Fantasy running back. Instead, I drafted DK Metcalf, mostly because I wanted to commit to Zero-RB, but I can also start Metcalf as a flex. He also has the chance to excel in Ryan Grubb's new offense in Seattle.
It worked out well that Dalton Kincaid was available in Round 5, and I like him as a top-five tight end this year. And then I drafted my quarterback in Round 6 with C.J. Stroud, who has top-five upside as well.
The pieces are in place at wide receiver, tight end, and quarterback. Now, it's just a matter of what I can get at running back, which will get into below.
As a reference point, all touchdowns in this league are worth six points, and we award one point for every 10 yards rushing and receiving and one point for every 25 yards passing. We also award one point for every reception. We feature a starting lineup of QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE, and FLEX (RB/WR/TE).
Here's my team from No. 7 overall:
1.7: Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Bengals
2.6: Drake London, WR, Falcons
3.7: Deebo Samel, WR, 49ers
4.6: DK Metcalf, WR, Seahawks
5.7: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Bills
6.6: C.J. Stroud, QB, Texans
7.7: Jonathon Brooks, RB, Panthers
8.6: Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Commanders
9.7: Devin Singletary, RB, Giants
10.6: Gus Edwards, RB, Chargers
11.7: Curtis Samuel, WR, Bills
12.6: Chuba Hubbard, RB, Panthers
13.7: Jahan Dotson, WR, Commanders
14.6: Braelon Allen, RB, Jets
Once I got to Round 7, it was time to start drafting running backs, and I wanted a mixture of upside and stability. Remember, given this roster build, I just need to start two running backs on a weekly basis if my receivers perform as expected -- and stay healthy.
Brooks is a risky No. 1 running back since he's coming off a torn ACL from last year at Texas, but if he's ready by Week 1 or early in the season then he has top-20 upside. And I made it a point to draft Hubbard in Round 12 as insurance.
Robinson should be the No. 1 running back in Washington this season, and I was thrilled to get him in Round 8. And then I felt lucky in some sense to draft Singletary in Round 9 and Edwards in Round 10. While they aren't stars, they should be the best running backs on their teams. For Zero-RB to work, you need some running backs who could be plug-and-play options until you find consistent starters, and Singletary and Edwards fit the bill.
You also have to be aggressive on the waiver wire at running back, but that will work itself out during the season. And you have to hope for a lottery ticket to hit, which is why I drafted Allen in Round 14. If something happens to Breece Hall then Allen could be a league winner as the potential starter for the Jets.
As for the rest of the draft, you shouldn't ignore selecting other receivers with late-round picks, and I was happy to end up with Samuel and Dotson. Samuel could be the No. 1 receiver for the Bills, and Dotson will hopefully be a third-year breakout thanks to Jayden Daniels joining the Commanders.
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There are plenty of Fantasy managers who don't like Zero-RB and would prefer to have safer running back options. However, if you like Zero-RB then this is a great blueprint to follow, especially if you pick at No. 7 overall.
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